Centrifugal driers especially for metallic or other parts

ABSTRACT

A CENTRIFUGAL DRIER OF THE TOP-LOADING, BOTTOM-UNLOADING TYPE, AS USED FOR METAL PARTS, HAS A CONICAL STOCKING OR LOADING HOPPER FIXED ABOVE THE TOP OF A ROTARY BASKET. A SLIDING DRAWER, ACTUATED BY A JACK, WITH A SEMI-CIRCULAR CUT-OUT AT THE FRONT FACILITATES EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF THE LOAD INTO THE BASKET. THE BOTTOM OF THE BASKET CAN BE   OPENED AND CLOSED BY A JACK ARRANGED IN THE SHAFT SUSPENDING THE BASKET. PULSED HOT AIR CAN BE DIRECTED INTO THE BASKET.

March 1971 J. A. N. ROUSSELET 3,570, 3

CENTRIFUGAL DRIERS ESPECIALLY FOR METALLIC OR OTHER PARTS Filed Jan. 30. 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGI March 15, 7 J. A. N. ROUSSELET' ,5 0,

CENTRIFUGAL DRIERS ESPECIALLY FOR METALLIC OR OTHER PARTS 2 Sheets-Sheet I Filed Jan, 30. 1969 FIG.

United States Patent 3,570,135 CENTRIFUGAL DRIERS ESPECIALLY FOR METALLIC OR OTHER PARTS Joseph Antoine Noel Rousselet, Montalivet, Annonay, Ardeche, France Filed Jan. 30, 1969, Ser. No. 795,294 Claims priority, applicatiogn1 France, Apr. 17, 1968,

49, Int. Cl. B04 11/00 US. Cl. 34--58 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A centrifugal drier of the top-loading, bottom-unloading type, as used for metal parts, has a conical stocking or loading hopper fixed above the top of a rotary basket. A sliding drawer, actuated by a jack, with a semi-circular cut-out at the front facilitates even distribution of the load into the basket. The bottom of the basket can be opened and closed by a jack arranged in the shaft suspending the basket. Pulsed hot air can be directed into the basket.

The present invention relates to centrifugal driers for metallic or other parts of small dimensions which must be centrifuged and dried, especially after various surface or thermal treatments to which the latter are subjected.

This centrifugal drier of the type loading through the top and unloading through the bottom is characterized in that it comprises a hopper for stocking or loading, of conical shape, fixed at the upper part of the drier and closed at its lower part by a drawer of suitable form enabling, on one hand, a regular distribution of the load to be dried in the basket of the drier, and on the other hand, the preparation of a second load while the first is in the course of treatment in the aforesaid basket, said basket having a bottom which may be retracted at the end of the centrifuging operation for removal of the treated load.

According to another feature of the invention, the means for opening and closing the bottom of the aforesaid basket is constituted by a jack, simple or double acting, hydraulic or pneumatic, advantageously incorporated in the suspension device of the basket thus reducing the mass.

The incorporation of the aforesaid jack in the suspension device permits the use of a jack of relatively large diameter thus enabling the use of fluid of low pressure.

The opening and closing of the loading drawer are also obtained by a jack, hydraulic or pneumatic, simple or double acting.

The details of the invention will become well understood from the description which follows with reference to the accompanying drawing representing, by way of non-limiting example, one preferred embodiment and in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical axial section view of a centrifugal drier according to the invention, taken along the line 11 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view from above of this same loading device.

Referring to the drawing, the drier is composed of a basket 2 receiving the parts 3 to be dried by centrifuging.

The basket '2 is fed from a hopper 4 for stocking the load 5 to be dried, capable if necessary of being raised as illustrated in chain-dotted lines in FIG. 1. The hopper 4 is closed at its base by a drawer 6 capable of being displaced horizontally by a jack 7, simple or double acting, hydraulic or pneumatic, as desired. The drawer 6 comprises, at its front part, a cut-out part 8 in the form of a semi-circle, which, upon opening the latter under the action of the jack 7, provides progressive exposure as illustrated in FIG. 2, of the loading opening in a manner to ensure a more regular distribution of the load 5 to be dried in the basket 2 thus avoiding the imbalances always troublesome in machines rotating at great speed.

The basket 2 is provided with a conical bottom capable of being brought into the position illustrated in chaindotted lines in FIG. 1, so as to release the load contained in the basket 2. The means for the retraction of the bottom 9 is constituted especially, according to one preferred form of the invention, by a jack 10, advantageously incorporated in a suspension block 12 of the drier, the jack 10 having a piston 13 rigidly fixed to a shaft 14. The shaft 14 is provided with ball-bearings 15 intended to avoid its rotation during the operation of the apparatus and it axially drives the bottom 9 through a box 16 capable of being displaced axially in a tubular shaft 17 supporting the basket 2, the said box being traversed by an axle 18 penetrating at two diametrically opposite locations in the walls of a cylindrical sleeve 9a extending upwardly from the bottom 9. This axle 18 is capable of being displaced vertically in two slots 19 and 20 cut in the tubular shaft 17.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows:

The load 5 to be treated is brought in any suitable manner, such as by conveyor belt, or by carriage, or the like and arranged in the stocking hopper 4. The drawer 6 is then actuated by operation of the jack 7 and the load is distributed regularly in the basket 2. The drawer is then closed again and the drier placed in operation. During the centrifuging of this load, a new load is introduced and stocked in the hopper 4. At the conclusion of the centrifuging operation, the rotation of the basket is stopped, and the jack 10 is actuated, thus displacing the bottom 9 in the direction of the arrow 22 of FIG. 1, to bring it into the position illustrated in chain-dotted lines. The dried parts then travel, along the direction of arrows 23 of FIG. 1, into a receptacle, not shown in the drawing, which directs them externally of the machine where they are received by a conveyor belt or carriage, or the like.

The bottom 9 is then raised again to contact the basket 2 and a new load is admitted into the latter after opening the drawer 6; the latter is then closed again and a new load is placed in the hopper 4. As is seen, the loading and unloading operations of the basket 2 are practically instantaneous and thus eliminate loss of time due to handling of the parts.

It goes without saying that the various operations may be manually or automatically controlled. In fact, there may be provided, from a regular supply of parts to be dried, such as by a conveyor belt, a programmed automatic cycle which effects the various operations, the parts being evacuated after treatment by an other conveyor belt.

It is also possible to incorporate in the machine an inlet tube for pulsed hot air, such as shown at 24 in FIG. 1. This arrangement accelerates the drying of the parts.

As goes without saying, the invention is not limited in any way to the single embodiment which has been described, but embraces on the contrary all variations of execution.

I claim:

1. In a centrifugal drier of the type having a rotary basket with suspension means and means for loading through the top and unloading through the bottom, used especially for the draining and drying of metallic or other parts, the improvement according to which said drier comprises a loading hopper of conical shape fixed at the upper part of the drier, sliding closure means at the bottom of the hopper enabling regular distribution in the basket of a load to be dried and preparation of a further 3 load while-one load is being treated in the basket, and retracting means for opening and closing the bottom of the basket to enable emptying of the treated load at the end of the drying operation.

2. A centrifugal drier according to claim 1, wherein said retracting means comprises a jack.

3. A centrifugal drier according to claim 2, wherein said suspension means incorporates said jack.

4. A centrifugal drier according to claim 2, wherein said jack is selected from the group consisting of simple, double action, hydraulic and pneumatic jacks.

5. A centrifugal drier according to claim 1, wherein said sliding closure means is operated by a jack.

6. A centrifugal drier according to claim 5, wherein said jack is selected from the group consisting of simple, double action, hydraulic and pneumatic jacks.

7. A centrifugal drier according to claim 1, including an inlet tube arranged to direct pulsed hot air into the basket.

8. A centrifugal drier according to claim 1, wherein said sliding closure means has a cut-out front part.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,003,827 9/1911 Tolhurst 34-8 1,071,956 9/1913 Psarski 210-212 1,963,712 6/1934 Moore 2l0365X 2,932,401 4/1960 Tholl 210-369 FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner H. B. RAMEY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

